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Temporary Fishing Closures Instituted In Yellowstone National Park

As has been the case in recent years, officials at Yellowstone National Park have instituted some temporary fishing closures in the park because streams are getting overly warm for fish.

The problem is that the warm water is stressful for the fish, and so even if the stream is catch-and-release, hooking a fish under these conditions could prove fatal, according to park officials.

The following waterways are closed to all fishing for the immediate future:

• Gibbon River below Gibbon Falls

• Firehole River below Keppler Cascades

• Madison River

"Hot air temperatures, limited rainfall, runoff from thermal features, and below average stream flows have all resulted in high water temperatures in these rivers," park officials say. "Water temperatures in the Gibbon River have been above 73 degrees most of the past two weeks, with water temperatures in the Firehole River above 78 degrees temperature."

Yellowstone National Park staff will continue to monitor water temperatures and stream flows in these and other rivers and streams throughout the park. The extended forecast calls for continued hot and dry conditions with a slight chance of isolated afternoon thunderstorms. These conditions contribute to continued low stream flows and high water temperatures, and could result in additional fishing restrictions.